This is a spiritual practice. It has been given to Humanity so it might be able to respond to the growing planetary necessity for Human Unity and Cooperation. We are encouraged to undertake Steps to Knowledge. This site is a simple aid to introduce people to this practice. There is much more to learn for anyone who becomes a student. As a Steps student since June 27, 1999, I am a witness for its benefit. Tom Christoffel

8/7/16

I will use restraint today so that greatness may grow within me. Step 220 - Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing ~ Spiritual Practices

Greetings All –

I
will use restraint today so that greatness may grow within me. Step 220 (MP3)
[Open in Drive or copy to your Drive – Download folder or play from Drive –
Step PDF also.]

I
will use restraint today so that greatness may grow within me. Step 220

USE
RESTRAINT REGARDING THOSE FACULTIES that you recognize to be harmful or
debilitating to the reclamation of Knowledge. Hold yourself back intentionally
so that Knowledge may grow within you. This is no limitation that you place
upon yourself. Instead, it is the meaningful use of your mind and strength to
cultivate an awareness of the Greater Power within you and to allow it to
emerge, to guide and to direct you.

IN
TODAY’S LESSON, AS IN LESSONS PAST, you are learning to recognize the source of
Knowledge and the vehicle of Knowledge and not to confuse the two. Learn
restraint today so that Knowledge may grow within you. Do not think that
restraint merely refers to past behavior where you limited what was genuine
within yourself. No, your focus today is to learn the form of intentional
restraint that represents an expression of your power and self-discipline. Your
power and self-discipline must now be exercised to become strong, for your mind
and body are vehicles of Knowledge, and as vehicles, they must be developed and
strengthened.

IN
YOUR DEEPER PRACTICES TODAY, as in your hourly practices, restrain those forms
of thinking and behavior that betray your Knowledge so that you may enter
Knowledge in stillness and in peace. With this restraint, freedom will be
discovered, for freedom is found beyond this world and is brought into this
world, for freedom is the gift of Knowledge.

If this is your first time seeing one of the “Steps to Knowledge”,
then welcome. There are 365 Steps, daily spiritual practices if one seeks to
complete them in a year, but that is not necessary. They can be used by people
of any religious tradition or no religious tradition. They will help one to
become mindful in the world.

The Step today is from the book: Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing. The practices were
brought to the world through Marshall Vian Summers, The Messenger for The New
Message From God. Important background for the Steps is in: “Greater Community Spirituality” and the “Wisdom Books - I and II”.
Hard copies are available from the New Knowledge Library Store. The
Society for the New Message from God also has a Free Book Project. If you need
the books now, PDF files can be found here: http://goo.gl/RJuuGP

Keeping a journal is recommended. If you have a Steps book,
write your reactions and comments, highlight or underline points that strike
you, and date the note. In this way, your Steps book can be a partial journal.

Using the PDF, you can print out pages as you need them, or use
the software to maintain a digital copy where you can enter notes and highlight
text that stands out.

Other modern methods of keeping a journal include having a
document on your PC or phone to keep notes. You could send yourself an email or
use the voice recorder function. It is important to capture insights and
reactions because it is by this means that you can understand change. Sometimes
it may just be a word or short phrase, an image or a scene.

To end this post I again offer the blessing: "May the presence
of the Teachers be with you." In the invocative language of Knowledge this
blessing is: "Nasi Novare Coram" (pronounced NAH-see no-VAHR-ay
co-RAHM)

The short form of Nasi Novare Coram used by students is NNC.

NNC

P.S. Often it takes 18 months to get through the Steps once. For
this blog, the pace is one-a-day, but it really makes no difference how fast
you do it, only that you begin, persist and repeat. Posts linked below provide
a trail that may let you have a virtual companion when and if you want one. One
may have to study alone, as I did in the beginning. There are other Steps
students blogging their experience and you might find a person more like you as
a companion, or use a number of such Steps journeys.

Doing Steps with only the texts, messages and your life
experience, including what you may have studied and practiced is your journey.
I’m showing Step comments after the Step, so as not to influence anyone in
advance. It is a wilderness trek to be left to your own wits, but then you can
also listen more closely for guides, angels and teachers, always first saying:
“I surround and protect myself with the Love and the Grace of God.” Thankfully,
I was taught this practice in 1989.